* Sunday February 14, 2.30pm, free with museum admission ticket. Adults pound;2.90, children pound;1.50. Tel: 0171 955 4791 Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood, E2 Carrom drop-in game workshops (5 yrs+): carrom is an ancient finger billiards board-game, widely known in India and now played throughout the world. An easy game to play but difficult to excel at.

* February 13, 15-18, 20, 11am-1pm; 2-4pm, free. Tel: 0181 983 5220 British Museum, WC1 Heroes v gods: the big match live at the British Museum. An interactive musical storytelling of the myth of Gilgamesh. A storyteller, musician and Mesopotamian expert together bring the carvings to life with sound, rhythm and song.

* Suitable for mixed family groups with four to 14-year-olds, free. Tel: 0171 323 8896 RAF Museum, NW9 Build your own hot air balloon and see it soar to the top of the museum when you launch it! ‘Lighter than Air’ is a talk and tour on flight and 30 interactive activities in the fun and flight gallery.

* February 15-19, adults pound;6.50, children pound;3.25. Tel: 0181 200 1763 Museum of the Moving Image, SE1 Animal magic: hands-on workshops for children and all the family. Produce your own sound effects, and make and design face masks and jungle backdrop film scenery. Take part in an animal quiz using interactive CD-Rom. Junior matinee films featuring animals take place each afternoon in the National Film Theatre.

* February 15-19, 10.30am-1pm, free to visitors after museum admission: adults: pound;6.25, children pound;4.50; films: adults pound;6, children pound;1. Tel: 0171 815 1331 Tate Gallery, SW1 Holiday art trolley: drop-in activities for children and adults. Games, trails and other fun activities based on the huge variety of paintings and sculptures on display.

* February 16-18, 2-5pm, free. Ages three and above (children must be accompanied). Tel: 0171 887 8765 Apsley House, The Wellington Museum, W1 Splendid sovereigns and gorgeous gifts at No. 1 London: half-term trail to link the magnificent gifts given to the Duke of Wellington during his lifetime.

* February 16-21, 11am-5pm, free (children under 12); adults: pound;4.50.

Tel: 0171 495 8525 MIDLANDS Industrial Museum, Derby Magnificent flying machines: do you like making paper aeroplanes? Free design and technology competition for five to 16-year-olds. With great prizes.

* February 13, 15-19. Drop-in sessions: 10am-12 noon; 2-4pm. Grand judging and flying, February 19 at 3.30pm, free.

Tel: 01332 255308 Ironbridge Gorge MuseumS Telford, Shropshire Jackfield Tile Museum is offering drop-in tile-decorating workshops. l February 16, 17, 18 Coalport China Museum will be holding plate painting and clay flower making sessions on most days of the holiday, plus hands-on clay throwing.

* February 14 and 21. Tel: 01952 433970 NORTH EAST Oakwell Hall Country Park, Batley, West Yorkshire Underwater world: explore the life found in the sea, a local river or garden pond. Make a hanging octopus, jellyfish or glittery fish, paint your face or enter the drawing competition. For the more adventurous, there’s an opportunity to see what can be caught and the chance to discover life in Oakwell’s ponds as well as to explore the Country Park and Oakwell Hall.

* February 17, 10.30am-12.30; 2-4pm, free (under-eights must be accompanied).Tel: 01924 326240 Bagshaw Museum, Wilton Park Batley, West Yorkshire The draped and the shaped, costumes and textiles from Pakistan: a programme of craft activities inspired by the current exhibition.

* February 16, 10.30am-12.30; 2-4pm, free (under eights must be accompanied by an adult). Tel: 01924 326155 Piece Hall Art Gallery, Halifax Storytelling: an opportunity to be drawn into the world of Anthony Green’s paintings currently on show at the gallery.

* February 17, 19, 10.30am-12.30; 1-3pm, free. Tel: 01422 358087 Bankfield Museum, Halifax Winter woollies: a fun-packed session for all the family, making and creating with felt. Drop-in session.

* February 16, 18, 10am-12 noon, free (under eights must be accompanied by an adult). Tel: 01422 352334 NORTH WEST The Colour Museum, Bradford Make a ferocious fiery dragon mask to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Book early - limited places for workshops.

* February 10, 17, 10am-12 noon, children pound;2.50 (under eights must be accompanied by an adult - adult helpers free).Tel: 01274 390955 Museum of Science AND Industry Manchester Dinosaurs big, bold and dangerous! This exhibition, set in a prehistoric jungle, features dinosaur models brought to life by animatronics. The star of the show is a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex with teeth the size of butchers’ knives.

* February 12-20. Adults pound;6.50, children pound;2 (under-fives free). Tel: 0161 832 2244 SOUTH WEST The Exploratory Science Centre Temple Meads, Bristol Big bubbles and bangs: big bubbles and gigantic bubbles, bubble races, a bubble sheet and caterpillar bubbles. A spectacular science show and exhibition.

* February 15-26, 10am-5pm.

Adults pound;5, children pound;2.50 (unders fives free), family pound;25 (two adults and two children). Tel: 0117 907 9000 SCOTLAND Scotland Street Museum, Glasgow Calligraphy workshop run with the Sikh community and suitable for all ages. The art of calligraphy using the Punjabi language is led by Hakam Singh Bedi.

* February 17, 18, every half hour from 10am-12 noon. Booking essential.

Tel: 0141 287 27478 The Burrell Collection, Glasgow The thistle and the rose: an exhibition of Stuart and Tudor embroidered furnishings. Drop-in events to sample dance, music and costume of both periods.

* February 15-16, free. Tel: 0141 331 1854 WALES Techniquest, Cardiff Mad musical instruments: how do you make a cup cluck like a duck, or a bucket moo? Take part in a totally interactive science theatre show and be part of a sound wave (free).

Black holes and red dwarves: held in the Planetarium. Do black holes exist? And what happens to a star when it dies? (75p) l Adults pound;5, children pound;3.75 (under-fives free). Telephone for confirmation of show times: 01222 475 475 Celtica, Machynlleth, Powys Half-term activities for all the family: drawing, colouring, crafts, puzzles, mystery trails.

* February 13, 14: storytelling and dressing up as a Celt and Celtic face painting.

* February 15: clay and archaeology workshop.

* February 16 and 18: mystery trail.

* February 17: Iron-age spinning and weaving workshop and storytelling.

* February 19: Celtic patterns workshop.

* February 20-21: storytelling.

All events at 2pm (under-eights must be accompanied).

Tel: 01654 702702 Janet Buckelew